Truth & Rumors > NBA

Suns acquire Shaq from Heat for Marion

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10:41 PM ET 02.05 | The Phoenix Suns have acquired Shaquille O'Neal in a stunning, blockbuster deal that sends four-time All-Star Shawn Marion and Marcus Banks to the Miami Heat.

Associated Press

Shaquille O'Neal, AP Shaquille O'Neal, AP
February 5, 2008  10:55 PM ET

bring him to phoenix and you bring the suns a championship

February 5, 2008  11:12 PM ET

I think he should retire as a Miami Heat along side his partner

February 5, 2008  11:48 PM ET

lmao!! ahhh look the suns are getting scared now that the lakers got gosal in the line-up.iama die hard laker fan and he lin-up we have is going to tear up the suns ...so the suns are getting worried that they aint going to compete for no championship soon. and about shaq!!! NO WAY ..HE IS TO OL AND TO SLOW! FOR THE PHX WAY OF RUNNING UP AND DOWN SHAQ WOULD GET TIRED BY HALF TIME . idk i dont care if the suns get shaq they still goign to loose in the finals no matter what ...you know why??
kuz they suck ..! i dont care what you other guys have to say ..to me ..i dont like phx and they suck they aint wining no **** even if they get shaq ....like i said shaq is to slow .and to old .so it would be a bad move if they get shaq

February 6, 2008  12:20 AM ET

Shaq is too much of a risk. I respect him but he's declined precipitously to where he is now. The Suns wouldn't be taking a risk, they'd be simply taking an extremely bad risk.

February 6, 2008  12:31 AM ET

shaq will be on his way back to the west , and going to sun city were the heat will help his old body ,and he is glad to be back in the mix of things agan ,he got bail out ,of a bad start now he could put that faking to the side @ play ball ,this will be a fun season , bynum will take him out show him up, kick his big but on there way to the championships .lakers are and alway be the best in the west,,,,see u in the playoffs

February 6, 2008  12:41 AM ET

I have absolutely no idea why the Suns would consider making this trade. And I say this as an avid Miami Heat fan. The Suns are leading the western conference and they're actually thinking about completely re-shaping their team. It's a great move for Miami (especially if they can extend Marion's contract), but a very questionable move for Phoenix. Granted, Marion's not happy in Phoenix, but he's such a vital component to the run-and-gun style that coach D'Antoni uses. Plus Shawn's by far the best defender that the Suns have. I just can't wrap my brain around why the Suns would take this chance?

February 6, 2008  12:52 AM ET

Salary dump Dre.

February 6, 2008  12:55 AM ET

This deal is horrible. Shaq is too old and slow for phoenix offense and stoudimire is already a great center.

February 6, 2008  01:14 AM ET

shaqira i mean shaq will just embrass himself huffing and puffing on the court and who r the suns kidding when they say they want him 2 play defense kobe,gasol,odom and bynum all the way baby!!!!!!!!!!!!!

February 6, 2008  01:14 AM ET

Suns were always pretenders......let's face it, San Antonio is the only team preventing them from winning it all and to date, they still cant beat em, even if the Spurs have key injuries.....

February 6, 2008  01:16 AM ET

PHOENIX IS THE WINNER OF THIS TRADE. Shaq will be the inbounder in Phoenix - fastbreaks are never a five-man play. He will guard the bigs who Amare can never do effectively. Anyway, Marion will opt out after the season. PHOENIX MANAGEMENT IS GUTSY IS DOING THIS TRADE. But good luck to Miami, my favored team. I cross my fingers that Marion will not opt out. A frontline of Marion at SF, Udonis at PF and Mark at C is dowright intriguing but not reliable. Miami should do further trades to fix the team.

February 6, 2008  01:32 AM ET

Imagine this Phoenix lineup. Shaq at C, Amare at PF, Raja or Boris or Grant or Leandro at SF and SG, and Steve at PG. THEY CAN STILL RUN-AND-GUN WITH SHAQ AT BACKEND. But they are more deadly at half-court. PLAYOFFS ARE WON AT HALF-COURT. Steve and Amare can play the pick-and-roll with Shaq as an option; while Raja, Boris, Grant or Leandro will be waiting at the wings coz Shaq still commands double teams! SCARY FOR SUNS, LAKERS (Hi, Kobe and Pau!) AND MAVERICKS! Hehehe. Anyway, the Suns is not really my team.

February 6, 2008  01:50 AM ET

When Memphis traded Pau Gasol to LA Lakers for a mere pittance, Kobe Bryant, Mitch Kupchak, et al were ecstatic; while the others cried foul with the Christmasy deal (with apologies to Avery Johnson). If this Shaq-to-Phoenix trade will happen, THEN YOU HAVE TO BELIEVE IN KARMA OR POETIC JUSTICE. (To: Kobe and Mitch, Hello and here I am in the West again with its current winningest team - the Phoenix Suns. From: Shaq.) HEHEHE, AGAIN. I truly love this game!

February 6, 2008  01:57 AM ET

I'm a huge Suns fan and I say they should go for it. I think there's more to Marion that is known.. I mean- how on earth has he the right to complain (as he has done in the past) about lack of appreciation and not getting looks on offense? It doesn't add up- he's the highest paid player on the team, playing for a contender, playing along side the most selfless player on the planet and yet he still finds a way to voice his displeasure. I'm sure that certain guys, although they'd never admit it publicly, would be happy to see Marion go. Guys like this are a cancer in the dressing room. I for one would love to see him go to Miami, make his cash, maybe make an All Star game or two (I'd be surprised w/o Nash) and watch him never make it to the playoffs with the abysmal Heat. He'll realize that maybe he should've sucked it up and put the team ahead of his ego.

As for Shaq, it could work! After watching the Spurs take it to the Suns on their home court last week, I came to the conclusion that the Suns will not be able to beat the defending champs in a 7 game series. Why? DUNCAN OWNS THE SUNS! He dominated at both ends of the court and made Stoudemire look silly. Shaq would be the big body they need and he's a great passer. Adding Smush Parker could be a bonus as well seeing as Banks hasn't produced in the eyes of the coaches. Sarver and Kerr must see that they can't do it without making a change. Don't let their record fool you- the red flags there- losses to the Wolves, Clippers... I say pull the trigger and get it done. The trip to Phoenix has rejuvenated G. Hill and it might do the same for Shaq. If that MRI is clear, BRING ON SHAQ.

February 6, 2008  02:14 AM ET

Die Hard Avid Laker fan AND I hate Suns. Having said that, I think it could work with Shaq in Phoenix. He will not have to play big minutes because of Amare so he can rest up for the playoffs. Playoffs are grind it out half court game. Suns need this deal done. D'Antoni can run the same type of offence as the Lakers, if in first 7 seconds do not have an opportunity to score then go to half court set up which would benefit Shaq. It would be fun to see Shaq and Nash together. If this deal happens the wild wild West will be this much fun to watch. Spurs and Mavs will be the biggest losers, because they have nobody to guard Shaq. And if this deal does happen I hope that the Lakers keep Mbenga just for foul purposes. But man who ever comes out of the West will be one hell of a beat up team.

February 6, 2008  02:15 AM ET

pg Nash
sg Bell
sf Hill
pf Stoudamire
c Oneal

I don't care if Nash passes the ball once or twice to Shaq or Amare in the post, but that is just plain pain for other teams to defend. Marion's been wanting a trade since training camp, so adios amigo. Even if Shaq's only has a tank of gas left in his Humvee body, he can get that 9mpg that the Suns need to win it all this year. Do it man....

February 6, 2008  02:17 AM ET

Why not...Marion is incredibly overrated as a defender, always disappears in crunch time, has the ugliest shot in basketball, and whines while getting the benefits of the past passer and best ball movement and shooting in basketball. Worth the try to counteract Duncan's size.

February 6, 2008  02:17 AM ET

On the flip side, the Heat should want to take Barbosa and Marion, instead of Banks. But Banks is a decent pg to Williams.

February 6, 2008  02:32 AM ET

I'm a huge Suns fan, but I have to wonder...Shaq?!! Come on, maybe 2 years ago, but now? He's old, has barely any game left, and you're going to replace Marion with him?

Marion, granted, is a cancer. He complains nonstop, and he's barely been there this year, but still, do you really want to trade your best defender for a 35 yo guy who has been on the injured list constantly and is in a rapid state of decline? BTW, Shawn, good luck without a good PG to set you up, My guess is next year you opt out and change your tune.

They should have found a way to pull the trigger on the KG trade. Of course, I could be wrong, maybe he'll be rejuvenated by the chance to play in a great offense/team and feel great that he doesn't have to be "the man" all the time. And they needed to do something to shake things up before the deadline, for sure, lest they fall to the Spurs again in the semis. But I still have grave reservations about this one.

 
February 6, 2008  03:06 AM ET

this is the only way the Suns stood a chance anyways... they are smart to realize that the team to beat is now the Lakers... too bad Shaq's defense has declined so much but it's still a good deal as the matchup against the Lakers is still better with Shaq then Marion

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